Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026

In Vitro and In Vivo Approaches to Determine Intestinal Epithelial Cell Permeability
Published on: October 19, 2018
Surface Activity Profiling (SAP): A potential means of predicting intestinal membrane permeability
J Rosenberger1, K Schmid2, K J Schäfer2
1Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Abstract:
Early characterization of new drug substances intended for oral application includes not only physicochemical properties and stability but also the ability of the substance to permeate through the intestinal mucosa. In this work, a rapid screening method, surface activity profiling (SAP), is proposed as an alternative to animal studies and screening in cell cultures. Measurements are made with a multichannel tensiometer and require only 50 µl of stock solution for the complete permeability analysis. Correlation of SAP results with human absorption was demonstrated for marketed drugs and with absorption in rats for development compounds of Boehringer Ingelheim. Cross-laboratory results for marketed drugs showed excellent agreement. For early stage investigations of lead compounds, where only small amounts of the compound are available, the SAP method appears to be an effective and fast tool to accurately predict fa, provided the compound is amphiphilic.
Related Concept Videos
The Resting Membrane Potential
Resting Membrane Potential
The Inside of a Neuron is More Negative
The membrane potential of a cell can be measured by inserting a microelectrode into a cell and comparing the charge to a reference electrode in the extracellular fluid. The...
Surface Membrane Barriers
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
Thermodynamics: Chemical Potential and Activity
The thermodynamic equilibrium constant is more accurately defined in terms of activity rather than concentration.
Anatomy of the Intestines
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
Predicting Molecular Geometry

